Bicycle-Touring 15th June 2021. Brockenhurst to Langton Matravers. 44 miles!
Nice easy and short day to day, which was okay. I’ve decided that as I don’t want to be out at the weekend! And the more I speak to other campers and campsite owners, the more determined I am that I will be home for the weekend! So with that in mind I’ve decided to just visit some of campsites I’ve stayed at before. That of course is subject to change, depending on my mood and which way the winds blowing!
Started the day off with a nice chat with some fellow bicycle tourists, who were camping next to me. Although they weren’t on their bikes. They’ were on foot and had travelled by train from Kent.
One thing I noticed as I rode through the New Forest, was the lack of ponies! I hardly saw any. There was however loads of traffic, I just can’t believe how many cars there are on the roads!
I had a little bimble around Mudford, and was thinking of getting the ferry from there to Hengistbury Head. But after seeing the crowds of people decided to cycle around instead!
From Hengistbury to Poole it’s a 10-mile flat ride along the prom. Which as nice and easy as it is, does get a bit boring by the end! Probably because you have to go so slow because of pedestrians. Mind you it’s a lot better than going along the top on the road. Because apart from the traffic it’s a bit of a roller coaster of a road!
Once past Poole it’s onto Sandbanks and the Sandbank ferry. Which takes you across to the Isle of Purbeck, and the flat ride along Bournemouth seafront is soon forgotten! As you trudge up the Purbeck hills!
Coming off the chain link ferry, I was cycling along with an old boy called Tony. Although I would never have guessed he was old, but he was 83! He was on one of those electric assisted bikes, which I don’t like! Well not for youngsters anyway, it just encourages them to get fatter! But for older people they’re ideal. Tony was going to Old Harry Rocks via the pub! I was tempted to join him, but I was a good boy in the end and continued on to Tom’s Field campsite! And never even visited the Square and Compass pub, as I’d originally planned!
I’m thinking of heading for Salisbury tomorrow, but I’ll decide properly in the morning, maybe!
Good photos. Traffic: same over here we are saturated with cars. Yes, I’ve given up on electric bikes too. I have a Dawes but I would like a Brompton. Those scooters piss me off – young yobs floating around the shopping precinct. What is your longest ride in a day?
It seems to be busy everywhere. Don’t get me started on those scooters! They’ve got them in Paris and they’re just left everywhere, why anybody thinks they’re a good idea is beyond me!
My longest ride is 127 miles I think! But time wise, I’ve been physically cycling for 15 hours!